Search South Dakota LLC, Corporation & Business Records
The official South Dakota Business Information Search lets you find registered entities by business name or Secretary of State Business ID. You can also search registered agents and DBA/fictitious business names through separate state tools.
The safest workflow is to find the correct entity first, save its Business ID, review its status and registered agent, then use that ID for annual reports, certificates, certified copies or reinstatement.
Fastest search: enter the strongest words from the business name and choose Contains if you do not know how the legal name begins.
Exact lookup: use the Secretary of State Business ID whenever you already have it.
Older business: turn off Active Entities Only so dissolved, revoked, delinquent or historical records are not hidden.
*Common corporation, LLC, cooperative and LLP annual-report fee. Nonprofit fees and entities exempt from annual reports differ.
How to Search South Dakota Business Records
The main search has only a few controls, but each one matters. Start broad and narrow only after you see the result set.
- Open the Business Information Search.
- Enter the business name in Search Name.
- Select Contains if you are unsure how the legal name begins.
- Select Starts With when the beginning of the name is reliable.
- If you already know the state identifier, enter it under Business ID.
- Leave Active Entities Only unchecked when researching old or inactive businesses.
- Run the search and open the matching business detail page.
- Save the Business ID before filing or ordering anything.
What to Check on the South Dakota Entity Detail Page
Confirm the entity
- Exact legal business name
- Secretary of State Business ID
- Entity type
- State or jurisdiction of formation
- Current SOS status
- Principal office information
Review compliance and history
- Registered agent
- Annual-report due date
- Filing history
- Document links when available
- Address changes and amendments
- Available actions for the entity
Search South Dakota Businesses by Registered Agent
South Dakota provides a separate registered-agent database. It can be useful when you know the agent but not the business name.
| Agent search field | Use it for |
|---|---|
| First / Middle / Last Name | Searching an individual noncommercial registered agent. |
| Agent Number | Exact search when a valid registered-agent number is known. |
| Agent Business Name | Commercial registered agents, law offices and service companies. |
Open South Dakota Registered Agent Search.
South Dakota Business Name Availability
The state’s dedicated Name Availability Search is an exact-name check. South Dakota tells users to use the broader Business Information Search when testing variations.
- Use the Name Availability Search for the exact proposed name.
- Then use Business Information Search with Contains.
- Search singular and plural versions.
- Try close spellings and words that sound similar.
- Search with and without LLC, Inc. or other entity endings.
For many entity types, a name can be reserved for 120 days. The current reservation fee is $25. The same applicant generally cannot reserve the same name again until more than 60 days after the reservation expires.
South Dakota DBA / Fictitious Business Name Search
DBAs are handled in a separate registry. South Dakota’s DBA search can search by the fictitious business name or by owner information.
| DBA search option | What it can do |
|---|---|
| DBA – Business Name | Search Starts With or Contains. |
| DBA Business Name ID | Exact DBA registration lookup. |
| Owner | Search registrations associated with an individual or entity owner. |
| City / Date Range | Narrow results geographically or by filing dates. |
| Active Entities Only | Limits results to active DBA registrations. |
DBA registration & renewal
- New registration: $10
- Amendment: $10
- Renewal: $10
- Cancellation: no fee
Five-year term
A South Dakota DBA registration lasts five years. The online renewal system currently permits renewal within 90 days of expiration.
An expired DBA cannot be renewed; it must be filed again as a new registration.
South Dakota Annual Report Due Date, Filing Window & Late Fee
Most registered business entities file an annual report every year. South Dakota’s current FAQ says the report is due on the first day of the anniversary month of the entity’s original filing.
Example: if a business was first filed on June 11, its annual report is due June 1 in later filing years.
- Search the business and copy its Business ID.
- Open the Annual Report tool.
- Enter the Business ID.
- Verify that the entity shown is the correct business.
- Review addresses and registered-agent information.
- Complete the entity-specific officer, director, governor or partner information requested.
- Pay electronically with an accepted credit or debit card.
- Download the receipt and filing acknowledgment after payment.
Certificate of Good Standing / Existence
Use a certificate when a bank, lender, vendor, licensing body or transaction specifically needs formal status proof rather than a public search result.
Online certificate
Current fee: $20.
The online service checks SOS standing, annual-report standing and registered-agent standing before issuing the certificate.
Immediate PDF
After successful online payment, the SOS provides a color PDF for immediate download.
Download it immediately: the SOS warns that once you leave the PDF download page, the certificate will no longer be available there.
Open the Certificate of Good Standing service.
- Search the business and copy the Business ID.
- Confirm the record is the correct entity.
- Enter the Business ID in the certificate service.
- Verify the business displayed.
- Pay the $20 online fee.
- Download and save the PDF before leaving the page.
Filed Documents, Plain Copies & Certified Copies
Many South Dakota business filings can be viewed directly from the public entity detail page, so check the filing history before paying for copies.
| Document service | Current fee | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| View available filed documents | Public record | Research before ordering paid copies. |
| Plain copy | $2 per page | When certification is unnecessary. |
| Certified copy | $15 + $2 per page | When the recipient requires an officially certified filing. |
Open the Certified Copies service.
Does South Dakota Show Owners, Managers or Internal Company Documents?
Some public filings may show managers, governors, officers, directors, partners or optional beneficial-owner information depending on entity type and what was filed.
Beneficial owners
South Dakota says a business may report beneficial owners, but beneficial-owner disclosure is not generally required in organizational filings or annual reports.
Operating agreements & bylaws
LLC Operating Agreements and corporate Bylaws are internal company documents. The Secretary of State says they are not filed with the office and therefore cannot be supplied from the public business registry.
What to Do if the Business Is Dissolved or Revoked
Failure to file annual reports, failure to maintain a valid South Dakota registered agent, or unpaid/rejected filing fees can lead to administrative dissolution or revocation.
- Search the business and confirm its status and Business ID.
- Open the Reinstatement Guide.
- File all delinquent annual reports and related late fees first.
- For a for-profit LLC or business corporation, request the required South Dakota Department of Revenue Tax Clearance Certificate.
- Prepare the Application for Reinstatement.
- Mail the required reinstatement application and filing fee to the Secretary of State.
| Domestic entity | Current reinstatement fee | Additional requirement |
|---|---|---|
| LLC | $150 + delinquent reports/fees | Tax Clearance Certificate required for for-profit reinstatement. |
| Business Corporation | $300 + delinquent reports/fees | Tax Clearance Certificate required. |
| Nonprofit Corporation | $30 + delinquent reports/fees | Follow the nonprofit reinstatement instructions. |
Common South Dakota Business Fees
| Service or filing | Current fee | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| Business Information Search | Free | Search individual entities by name or Business ID. |
| Registered Agent Search | Free | Search agents and businesses represented by them. |
| Name reservation | $25 | Common reservation period is 120 days. |
| Domestic LLC formation | $150 online / $165 paper | Paper total includes the additional processing fee. |
| Domestic business corporation formation | $150 online / $165 paper | Articles of Incorporation. |
| Foreign LLC Certificate of Authority | $750 online / $765 paper | For an LLC formed outside South Dakota. |
| Annual report – common for-profit entities | $55 online / $70 paper | Corporations, LLCs, cooperatives and LLPs commonly use this fee. |
| Nonprofit annual report | $10 | Nonprofits are exempt from the additional delinquent-report late fee. |
| Delinquent annual-report late fee | $55 | Current fee schedule amount; confirm live total before paying. |
| Certificate of Good Standing / Existence | $20 online | Immediate PDF after successful online payment. |
| Copies | $2 per page | Check public document links first. |
| Certified copies | $15 + $2 per page | Use only when official certification is required. |
| DBA registration / renewal / amendment | $10 | Cancellation currently has no fee. |
| Expedited service | $50 | Where expedited processing is available. |
Common South Dakota Business Search Problems
| Problem | Best next step |
|---|---|
| No result appears | Use Contains and search fewer words without LLC, Inc. or punctuation. |
| Old business is missing | Turn off Active Entities Only. |
| You know only the registered agent | Use the separate Registered Agent Search. |
| You know only the DBA | Use the DBA – Business Name Information Search. |
| Name looks available | Use the exact Name Availability Search and remember final availability is determined during filing review. |
| Entity is delinquent or dissolved | Check missing annual reports and registered-agent compliance, then use the reinstatement instructions. |
| Need an old certified document | Contact Business Services if it predates online certified-copy availability. |
South Dakota Business Services Phone, Address & Hours
Business Services office
South Dakota Secretary of State
Capitol Building
500 East Capitol Avenue, Suite 112
Pierre, SD 57501-5070
Office hours
8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Central Time
Monday–Friday
Closed on recognized holidays.
Open the official South Dakota Secretary of State contact page.
Official South Dakota Business Resources
Free search by business name or Secretary of State Business ID.
Search agents by personal name, agent number or agent business name.
Exact-name preliminary availability check.
Search by DBA name, owner, ID, city, date range and active status.
Use Business ID to file or prepare a South Dakota annual report.
Request and download eligible certificates online.
Order certified business filing documents by Business ID.
Past-due reports, tax clearance and reinstatement steps for eligible domestic entities.
Current SOS fees for formations, annual reports, certificates, copies and other filings.
South Dakota Business Entity Search FAQ
1. Is the South Dakota business entity search free?
Yes. South Dakota’s official Business Information Search lets users search, view and print individual business entity information for free.
2. Where do I search for a South Dakota LLC or corporation?
Use the South Dakota Secretary of State Business Information Search at sosenterprise.sd.gov/BusinessServices/Business/FilingSearch.aspx. Search by business name or Secretary of State Business ID.
3. Can I search South Dakota businesses by registered agent?
Yes. South Dakota has a separate Registered Agent Search where you can search by an individual’s name, agent number or agent business name.
4. How do I search a South Dakota DBA or fictitious business name?
Use the separate DBA – Business Name Information Search. It can search by DBA name or owner and also includes DBA ID, city, date-range and active-status filters.
5. When is a South Dakota annual report due?
For entities that must file, the annual report is generally due each year on the first day of the anniversary month of the entity’s original filing. The filing can generally begin two months before the due date.
6. How much is a South Dakota annual report?
The current fee schedule lists common corporation, LLC, cooperative and LLP annual reports at $55 online or $70 by paper. Nonprofit annual reports are currently $10.
7. How much is a South Dakota Certificate of Good Standing?
The current online fee is $20. After payment, the certificate PDF is available for immediate download, so save it before leaving the download page.
8. Can I see South Dakota business filing documents online?
Yes. Available filings appear in the entity’s history. The SOS says most business images from 1994 forward are available online, although older documents can require a different request process.
9. Does South Dakota require beneficial-owner information in SOS filings?
No general mandatory beneficial-owner disclosure is required in organizational documents or annual reports. The SOS says entities may voluntarily provide beneficial-owner information.
10. Does a South Dakota SOS record prove a business is licensed or trustworthy?
No. The SOS record shows state business filing information. Tax registration, professional licensing, local permits, insurance and financial reliability may require separate checks.